Breathe 2AM
by NoFearOnlyLove21
Summary: Response to a challenge. Elliot comforts Olivia, then realizes his true feelings for her. Songfic. Obviously.


**I wrote this in response to a challenge on the svufiction website. I had fun writing it. there were a few phrases I needed to use, but don't ask what they were because I don't remember (and I'm too lazy and tired to go check). But enjoy!**

** Disclaimer: The characters and the song "Breath (2AM)" are not mine (The song isn't Olivia's either, but no one needs to know that, right?).  
**

**------------- **

It was 2:00 in the morning when she called me. I couldn't sleep- I'd settled for drowning my problems in alcohol. I hadn't been drunk- yet. But I had been through about five bottles of beer.

The ringing of the phone both surprised me and didn't. I knew she would call, I just didn't know she would wait so long.

_2 Am and she calls me cause I'm still awake _

"_Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?_

_I don't love him; winter just wasn't my season"_

I told her to meet me at my apartment and we'd talk. Minutes later, she was at the door. When I went to let her inside, I noticed the doors to the apartments near mine were open. I suppose they were all angry at the fact that somebody was interrupting their slumber at 2 in the morning. I didn't understand why they were so angry- nearly all of my neighbors had kept me up 'til the wee hours of the morning with their stupid party music and screaming. I gave them all a Look and closed the door.

_Yea we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes_

_Like they have any right at all to criticize_

_Hypocrites- you're all here for the very same reason_

I turned around and told Olivia to sit on the couch. She didn't obey; instead she looked at the table at all my empty beer bottles.

"You've been drinking?" she asked, the question coming out more like a statement.

I nodded.

"Why?"

I shrugged. I didn't want to admit the real reason. "Olivia, tell me what's wrong."

Olivia sat this time. I sat close to her, suddenly noticing the tear stains on her cheeks.

"Josh," she said simply.

"The man you went out with tonight?" I don't know why I asked the question. After all, Josh was the whole reason I was drinking that night.

"Yes. Turns out he's a jerk." I watched as Olivia broke down before my eyes. "I wish I'd never gone out with him. Or slept with him."

I winced at her last statement, unable to disregard it. "Liv, listen. You learn from your mistakes. You know to stay away from him now. There's no going back." I places an assuring hand on her shoulder. "But for now, just calm down. It's in the past. Take a breath."

Olivia breathed deeply.

_Cause you can't jump the track _

_We're like cars on a cable_

_And life's like an hourglass glued to the table, _

_No one can find the rewind button, girl _

_So just cradle your head in your hands_

_And breathe, just breathe, whoa breathe, just breathe_

"So what did he do to make him such a jerk?" I asked.

"Let's start with the lying. You know how old I am right?"

I nodded.

"Elliot, he's twenty-one fucking years old! Okay, I don't mind the occasional younger guy, but _twenty-one_? And he _just turned_ twenty-one last month."

"That's insane."

"Yea! And get this one. He was an alcoholic. Found that out the hard way."

_May he turned 21 on the base of Fort Bliss _

_Just today he sat down to the flask in his fist_

_Ain't been sober since maybe October of last year_

"What?"

"Tonight I showed up for our date. He'd been drinking. It was awful. He tried to, you know, go to the afterwards part of the date."

I closed my eyes. I really didn't want to hear this.

"And, yea, we'd 'done it' before, but each time..." She realized my discomfort. "Well, nothing happened."

I stood up and walked to the kitchen. I really didn't want to hear it. I grabbed one of the unopened bottles of beer and downed about half. When I turned around, Olivia was right behind me. She grabbed the bottle from my hand.

"Elliot, you need to stop drinking!" she yelled. "Haven't I been through this enough tonight?"

I lightly pushed her out of the way, making my way back to the couch. "I'm sorry, Liv. I'm just-"

"Just what?"

"Just continue."

She sighed. "Elliot, I don't understand what happened. He was amazing- great looks, a smile to die for. Yea, sure, he had started out a little depressed, but he became happy again as time went on."

_Here in town you can tell he's been down for while _

_But my God it's so beautiful when the boy smiles_

_Wanna hold him; maybe I'll just sing about it_

"Olivia, please stop," I suddenly begged, not wanting to hear anymore.

"Stop what?" she asked, her eyes confused.

"I'll admit it, Liv. I _hated_ Josh." There. I'd said it. Would she understand?

_Cause you can't jump the track _

_We're like cars on a cable _

_And life's like an hourglass glued to the table, _

_No one can find the rewind button, boys_

_So cradle your head in your hands_

_And breathe, just breathe, whoa breath just breathe_

"Why? Did you know he was a jerk? And you didn't tell me?" Olivia stood up abruptly, heading toward the door. "I think I deserve a little better, Elliot."

"No, Liv. That's not it."

"Then what is it?" She turned toward me. Her eyes were shining. It broke my heart to see her so sad.

"Come here, Liv." I opened my arms and she ran into them, sobbing.

"Elliot," she whispered. "I know there's a light at the end of this tunnel. How do I find it?"

"I can help you." I said. I used my hand to pull her chin up so her eyes were looking into mine. "I really can." I leaned forward and kissed her lightly. I pulled away, leaving a thousand questions unanswered. But I had taken the first step. There was no going back now.

_There's a light at the end of this tunnel you shout_

'_Cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out _

_And these mistakes you've made _

_You'll just make them again_

_If you'll only try turnin' around_

"Elliot...?" she breathed. "What was that?"

"I hated Josh because he was the thing keeping me from you," I admitted.

Olivia looked at me. "What?"

"I love you, Liv. It just... I guess it just took losing you to realize it."

Olivia smiled. She leaned forward and kissed me, more passionately than last time.

"Oh, and Liv?" I said against her mouth.

"Mmm?"

I pulled away. "That tunnel line? Very deep."

She laughed, sending chills down my spine. "I've been pretty deep lately."

"How do you mean?"

Olivia pulled a piece of paper out from the back pocket of her jeans. "I wasn't going to show anyone this," she said, handing me the paper.

"What is it?"

"A song."

"You sing and write music!" I asked, amazed.

"Write, not sing," she said.

"Sing it for me?" I asked.

"Elliot, I'm not much of a-"

"I don't care. Just... please."

She sighed. "Fine."

Quietly she began singing the lyrics that she had written on the paper.

_2 AM and I'm still awake writing this song_

_If I get it all down on paper it's no longer_

_Inside of me threatenin' the life it belongs to_

_And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd _

_Cause these words are my diary screamin' out aloud _

_And I know that you'll use them however you want to._

_But you can't jump the track _

_We're like cars on a cable _

_And life's like an hourglass glued to the table, _

_No one can find the rewind button now_

_Sing it if you understand... yeah breathe_

_Just breathe, whoa breathe, just breathe_

"Liv, that was amazing." I said. "You- that- wow."

"I don't know what came over me." she replied. "I guess I just-"

"Send it somewhere," I urged.

"No."

"Why?"

"It's my little secret. _Our_ little secret." She took the paper from me, folded it back up, and put it back in my hand, closing my fingers around it. Suddenly she was sitting on my lap. "Now... where were we?"


End file.
